“Oh? What did you figure out?” Akino Kazuko asked Liang Sheng impatiently.
Liang Sheng stuck out her pink little tongue. “I was just teasing you. There are too few clues—how could I know why you chose to delete your memories? Why don’t you… think about it some more?”
Akino Kazuko recalled the heart-wrenching pain from yesterday and instantly shuddered, hugging her frail, helpless self. “Forget it, forget it, forget it.”
“Oh? Scared of the pain? Then we’ll talk about it later.” Liang Sheng patted her own system’s little head. “The most important thing right now is still to conquer those girls. Try your best to recall what happened before.”
Liang Sheng frowned. “But even if we do remember, it won’t be that useful. I just really want to know the truth.”
“I want to know too,” Akino Kazuko sighed. “But I also know the truth must be brutal. After all, these endless cycles of reincarnation—thinking back on them still fills me with pain.”
As she spoke, Akino Kazuko’s eyes reddened. “Watching those girls get brutally murdered by Su Ze one after another, or being goaded into killing each other… my heart just…”
Liang Sheng covered her system’s little mouth. “Don’t say it. I get it. Anyone would feel awful watching friends they’ve spent day and night with fall and die.”
So they had to save these girls! Liang Sheng clenched her fist in determination.
But what the Favorability System had said suddenly gave her an idea.
“Hey,” the Green-haired Girl said, gripping her system’s shoulders. “What if you deleted your memories to escape the pain from all these cycles?”
That reason sounded plausible at first glance.
But Akino Kazuko thought it over and shook her head. “Probably not. I think deleting my memories would be irresponsible to everyone.”
“Then… what if it was another system that did it? Like the Heartthrob Value System trying to sabotage you?” Liang Sheng guessed.
Akino Kazuko spread her hands. “Even less likely. I remember it was voluntary.”
“Then…” Liang Sheng ventured a bold guess. “What if it was one of your allied systems that made you delete your memories?”
“That…” That actually seemed possible.
“But I still don’t get what deleting memories even achieves,” Akino Kazuko said, covering her face. “It just makes me unable to remember the past and feel even worse.”
Liang Sheng pouted. “Beats me.”
—— —— ——
By Monday, Liang Sheng excitedly headed to the Scorpion Beauty’s office with Ou Lu.
“Ahh~” As soon as Liang Sheng stepped inside, she flopped onto the sofa. That long-lost fragrance!
To be fair, the perfume Ou Lu wore was light and pleasant, not overpowering like some cheap scents that made your eyes water or your head spin.
Liang Sheng took a few deep breaths of the air around her.
Seeing her foolish expression, Ou Lu couldn’t help laughing. “What’s with that face?”
Liang Sheng chuckled “hehe” for a bit before asking the question on her mind.
“Ah~” Ou Lu slipped off her jacket and hung it on the rack, revealing a black lace dress underneath. “That’s usually cheap perfume. Or maybe you just don’t like heavy scents.”
“What about you, Sister Ou Lu?”
Ou Lu smoothed her long hair. “Me? I like light perfumes too.”
The Green-haired Girl couldn’t wait to ask, “Sister, is the scent on me light too~?”
Ou Lu smiled faintly. “Yes, I really like the way you smell.”
With that, she sat down in her office chair.
Liang Sheng sidled up eagerly and circled behind the beauty. “Sister Ou Lu~”
Tsk tsk, that coquettish tone.
“Hm?”
“If Sister Ou Lu likes the scent on me, doesn’t that basically round up to liking me~?” Liang Sheng asked with a cheeky grin.
“Uh… hahaha!” Ou Lu’s laugh was bold and hearty.
“Ding~” Favorability increased.
“Ou Lu’s Favorability toward Liang Sheng: 93”
Hm… Ou Lu was the last one whose favorability hadn’t hit 100 yet.
Even the trap Ye Yuzhe had maxed out his friendship points with her.
Come on, Liang Sheng—go for it!
At that moment, Ou Lu pulled fruit-flavored cigarettes from her pocket, took one out, and reached for her lighter. “Liang Sheng, I’m going to smoke. Stay back—I don’t want to bother you with the smell.”
Liang Sheng put on a serious face. “Sis! Smoking’s bad for your health!”
But she didn’t try to snatch the cigarette away.
That might make Ou Lu upset.
Ou Lu held the cigarette between her lips and rummaged in the drawer for her lighter. “Of course I know it’s bad. But quitting is so hard.”
Hm… It had been a long time since anyone had nagged her to quit.
This Scorpion Beauty’s relationship with her family was pretty strained too.
“What flavor is this cigarette?” Liang Sheng leaned in close to sniff it.
This brought them so near that their lips almost touched.
The motion made Ou Lu pause in her search for the lighter.
Liang Sheng, fixated on the cigarette’s scent, didn’t notice the change. “Oh~ It’s orange-flavored? Not much different from my candy scent.”
With that, she pulled a candy from her pocket, grabbed Ou Lu’s hand, and placed it in her palm. “Since Sister Ou Lu can’t find your lighter, have a candy that tastes just like your cigarettes~”
Ah… that smile…
“Ding!” Favorability rose sharply.
“Ou Lu’s Favorability toward Liang Sheng: 105”
One thing had to be admitted: Liang Sheng’s smile was incredibly healing. Many of these girls had fallen for her sunny grin and sweet dimples.
Ou Lu stared in a daze, the cigarette slowly slipping from her mouth.
Seeing this, Liang Sheng thought she wanted help removing it.
“Here~ Let me take the cigarette for Sister Ou Lu!” Liang Sheng gently plucked it from Ou Lu’s lips.
In that instant, the room’s atmosphere heated up, turning ambiguous.
Seeing Ou Lu frozen, Liang Sheng tilted her head. “Sister Ou Lu?”
“Ah, ah? Ah!” Ou Lu finally snapped back and gripped the candy tightly. “I, I’ll try this candy.”
She completely forgot about smoking and suppressed her craving.
Ou Lu’s face grew warm. She lowered her head and unwrapped the candy.
The domineering Female CEO now looked a bit like a shy little wife.
After peeling off the wrapper, Ou Lu slowly placed the candy in her mouth. Instantly, the fresh orange scent filled her senses.
“It’s sweet and fragrant, right?”
Liang Sheng had somehow circled to the front of the desk, hands planted on it, still beaming.
“Mm…” Ou Lu murmured blankly. “Very sweet.”
She wasn’t sure if she meant the candy or the green-haired girl’s smile.
